Leeds ease past Luton to take Championship top spot again

Leeds regained top spot in the Championship after comfortably beating Luton 3-0 for their sixth straight home league win.

Sam Byram’s scissor-kick and Joel Piroe’s strike put Leeds 2-0 up at the interval and substitute Daniel James’ fine late finish lifted Daniel Farke’s side back above overnight leaders Sheffield United on goal difference.

Luton, relegated last season and who climbed out of the bottom three after last weekend’s win over Hull, spurned two clear-cut first-half chances before slipping to a fifth straight away defeat.

Leeds dominated straight from kick-off and Byram volleyed them into a 10th-minute lead, reacting sharply after his initial effort had been blocked to plant a right-footed finish into the bottom corner.

It was a timely opener, allowing home fans to celebrate before bursting into an 11th-minute tribute to Gary Speed on the 13th anniversary of the former Leeds and Wales winger’s death.

Leeds then rode their luck when skipper Pascal Struijk acrobatically cleared Victor Moses’ effort off the goal-line.

It was a rare foray forward for the visitors and Leeds should have extended their lead when Piroe sent Brenden Aaronson clear before Wilfried Gnonto fired straight at Thomas Kaminski.

Leeds continued to camp on the edge of Luton’s penalty area, but the visitors went close to grabbing an equaliser when unmarked defender Reece Burke headed Carlton Morris’ hanging cross wide at the far post.

Piroe gave the scoreline a fairer reflection in first-half stoppage time, pouncing on a rebound to bury his seventh league goal of the season after Struijk’s header from Joe Rothwell’s corner had been well saved by Kaminski.

Luton adopted a higher press in the second half, but a similar pattern emerged as Leeds continued to hog possession.

Ao Tanaka curled a shot straight at Kaminski and Piroe was crowded out after good work by Aaronson.

Luton stuck doggedly to their task to prevent Leeds from further improving their goal difference until James, a 69th-minute replacement for Gnonto, raced on to Jayden Bogle’s raking pass to lob home a neat finish.

Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier was forced into his first meaningful save in stoppage time, swooping low to turn away Luton substitute Shandon Baptiste’s low drive.

Bogle was denied a fourth for Leeds when his close-range block was blocked by Kaminski as Farke’s side reached the second tier’s summit for the second time this season.

The managers

Leeds’ Daniel Farke:

I have to say, when you compare it right now with last season, in terms of points, statistics, how we dominate, this team is better compared to last season.

“The only problem is only 17 games have been played and I’m only willing to make a comparison after 46 games.

“Last season we had an excellent group. We won 90 points, so I’m far away from being critical, but there is a chance this team could be better.

“But you have to prove it over a long-term period. After 17 games OK, but a long-term period means more than a third of the season.

“We conceded a chance in the first half and again in the closing stages so in those moments we can be there a bit more.

“A bit more mature and pragmatical to make sure they don’t have any chances, but I don’t want to be too critical today.

“It was pretty close to a really good performance.”

Luton’s Rob Edwards:

“We came up against a very good team. The frustration for us is we made some very poor decisions.

“But ultimately tonight, it’s probably the most difficult place to come in the Championship at the moment and it looked like that for us.

“If you go after them it opens up more space for them and they get six up on that top line and they’ll find people in those pockets and then there’s trouble.

“We wanted to be aggressive. We couldn’t find our balance. Credit to them. But it’s down to poor decisions.

“We’re not seeing it so much at home, but away from home and when it matters. It’s a conundrum we’ve got to solve.”